1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photographic printing method and photographic printing system for a photographic film stored in a cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
A user takes a photographic film such as negative film used in photography to a photo shop (hereinafter called an agency) and orders prints. The photographic film used in photography usually is put to predetermined processes such as color development and fixation. The developed images on the photographic film are printed on printing paper to obtain printed photographs. The agency having received the order from the user transmits the photographic film to a developing laboratory for processing the film. The processes are carried out at the laboratory to obtain prints as noted above, and the developed photographic film and prints are handed over to the user. The above processing for developing and printing photographic film at the same time is called simultaneous printing.
After receiving the developed film and prints, the user may place a reorder (for additional prints or the like). The photographic film for which the reorder is made receives the same processes as in the simultaneous printing except that the film is not developed this time. The processing for only printing photographic film is called re-order.
A photographic printing system capable of simultaneous printing and reorder processing is known from Japanese Patent Laying-Open Publication H9-50083, for example. According to this system, when a photographic film for simultaneous printing is received through an order receiving unit, a series of processes is executed by a film processor unit for negative development, a printing/processor unit for printing, and so on. When a photographic film for a reorder is received, a series of processes is executed by the printer/processor unit for reorder printing, and so on. Such a system must carry out the simultaneous printing and reorder printing based on printing information such as frame designation, the number of prints, print sizes and the like. The system disclosed in the above publication utilizes magnetic recording layers provided on the film as a medium for communicating the information among the different processing units.
However, with the photographic printing system using the magnetic layers on the film as the information medium among the different processing units, necessary information is read and used at each processing stage. Information may frequently be written or read at each processing unit. The processing may become uncertain or unreliable due to reading errors or the like.
In such a photographic printing system, information on the photographic film, prints to be obtained and so on is dispersed to a plurality of processing units within the system, without being centrally controlled. It is therefore difficult to grasp a processing state of the entire photographic printing system. There is room for improvement in this respect.